Helpful Score: 5
This is the fourth of the historical mysteries of Matthew Shardlake the hunchbacked lawyer, this is set during the twilight reign of Henry the VIII and the king is interested in taking a new wife which would make it his sixth. The lady in question Lady Catherine Parr is a widow whose husband has just died. Matthew is now Sgt Shardlake after his last escapade in York, he asked Bishop Cramner not to involve him in politics again, his latest client is a young man whose religious obsession lands him in Bedlam but after the murder of his good friend Roger Ellard, Matthew promises Roger's wife Dorothy that he will find his killer and when there appears to be link between Roger's murder and the woman the king wants to marry, Matthew is again caught up in the politics of the king's court. Sansom gets better with each book. If you like historical fiction, especially medieval mysteries you will like this book, however I suggest you start with the first one "Dissolution" and read them in order.